Cultivator.



P. E. DAVIS.

Patented July 19, 1910.

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F. E. DAVIS.

GULTIVATOR. APPLIUA'ION FILED FEB. 2, 1910.

PatentedJuly 19, 1910.

SSHBETS-SHBET 2.

lwuzf- A M. 2101; @125 P. E. DAVIS. GULTIVATOR. APPLIOATION FILED1113.2, 1910.

964;?6-3., Patented July19,A 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 NETE PATENT @FECEQ FRANK E. DAVIS, OF LA GROSSE,WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT HIRSHHEIMER, OF LA GROSSE,WISCONSIN.

CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK E. Davis, a resident of La Crosse, in thecounty of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin, have in vented certain newand useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

rEhe invention relates to wheeled cultivators, and more particularly tothe class commonly known as pendulum beam cultivators.

ln cultivators of this type, it is now common practice to provideyielding -1neans, such as a spring, which is applied to the beam-liftingmechanism, so as to permit the shovel-gangs to be depressed by theoperator when the cultivator is being operated in the soil, and torestore the shovels carried by the beams to the normal working positionafter they have been depressed. In practice, it has been found thatoccasion frequently arises when the tension of the yieldingmeans orspring should be varied according to the soil being worked, to bettercontrol the restoration of the shovels to their normal or desiredworking posit-ion, For eX- ample, in soils of certain character. Thatgreater tension is necessary to return of the shovels to normal working`position when the operator releases the pressure upon the shovel-beams,and at other times, less tension is desirable and it is desirable thatadjustment of this tension should be made by the operator of the machinewhen it is in operation in the lield or working on the soil, so that thetension may at all times be regulated to a nieety to adapt thecultivator to the varying conditions of the soil. Preferably thisadjustment should be possible without stopping the progress of themachine.

One object of the invention is to provide means of this character,whereby the tension of the spring-connection for the cultivater-beam maybe adjusted by the operator of the machine when the shovels are at workin the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved shifting-meansfor the cultivator-beams and the carrying-wheels to keep the cultivatorbalanced when the shovels are raised or lowered.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forshifting the cultivater-beams, and which leaves the latter free to bedepressed by the operator and restored to normal working` position by aspring-connection which is independently connected to the pendulum-arm,and further to provide an improved construction of lifting-mechanism, inwhich the hand-lever is disposed within convenient reach of theoperator.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

Figure 1 is a plan of a cultivator embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical longitudinal section, the parts being shown in positionassumed when the cultivater-beams are raised. Fig. 3 is a section online 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi g. t is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing oneof the beams in lowered position and the other parts in correspondingpositions. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the adjusting-devices for one ofthe spring-connections.

The frame of the cultivator is supported by the usual carrying-wheels10, which are journaled on laterally projecting spindles at the outerends of arch-axles 11, each of which is provided at its upper' end withan inwardly extending arm or portion 12 which is journaled in the frame,so that the wheelspindles at the lower ends of the arch-axles may beshifted longitudinally to balance the cultivator. Each inwardlyextending arm 12 of the arch-axle, is adjustable laterally in the frame,being held by a collar 13, which is held against transverse movementinthe frame, and through which the arm may be slidably adjusted when theset-screw 14 which holds collar 13 on its arm 12, is loosened.'Resultantly, the vcarrying-wheels may be adjusted transversely, forpurposes well understood in the art. A. supportingframe is sustained byt-he arch-axles and is constituted of outer side-bars 15, inner-sidebars16 which are extended inwardly at the front of the frame and secured tothe usual tongue 17, a cross-bar 18 secured to side-bars 15 and 16, anda tubular cross-member or pipe 19, which is rigidly secured to thesidebars to form a substantially rigid frame. An operators seat 20 issupported by a strap 21 which is suspended from the rear ends of theside-bars 15.

A cross-shaft 22 is mounted in brackets 23 and 23 which are secured tothe bars 15 and 16 of the frame. carrying shovels 25, is provided ateach side of the machine. Each shovel-carrying beam is sustained at itsfront to the frame by a universal joint, or coupling which permits therea-r end of the beam to be raised or lowered and swung laterally. Thecoupling for connecting each beam to the frame, consists of a forkedbracket 27 which is ournaled on the cross-shaft 22 and held againstlongitudinal movement on said shaft by a collar 27 which may be adjustedalong the shaft to correspondingly adjust the line of travel of thebeam, so the beams may be caused to travel at the desired distanceapart. Each beam 24 is provided at its end with a standard 28, whichextends through lugs 29 on the collar 27 and an adjustable collar 30 onstandard 28 secures the beams against vertical movement in the coupling.By adjusting the collar 30, the shovel-beams may be adjusted verticallyin the coupling to cause the shovels to travel in the ground at thedesired pitch. Standard 28 and collar 30 are journaled in the bracket 27to permit the rear end of the shovel-beams to be swung laterally by theoperator. Resultantly, these couplings at the front end of theshovel-beams permit the front end of the cultivator-beams to be adjustedlaterally to or from one another, permit the shovels to be swunglaterally, and permit the shovelbeams to be raised and lowered, thecoupling swinging on cross-shaft 22 and the vertical position of theshovel-beams may be varied by adjustment of the standards 28 in thecoupling. Each shovel-beam is provided with a stirrup 31, whereby theoperator may guide the cultivator-beams laterally, and may depress them.

Each cultivator beam is controllably suspended from the frame by apendulum 33 which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the beam,as at 34, and an arm 35 which is pivotally mounted on the cross-member19 of the frame and has its upper end pivotally connected as at 36, tothe upper end of a pendulum 33. These arms serve to raise and lower therear ends of the beams and shovels carried thereby.

The mechanism for operating arms 35 to shift the beams consists of alever 37 which is pivoted on the tubular frame-member 19 and is providedwith a lock 38 controlled by a finger-lever 39 on said lever, the lockbeing adapted to engage a rack 40, which is iiXedly secured on pipe 19.The rack is provided with a notch 41 disposed to lock the lever 37 inposition to hold the beams in raised position and a notch 42 disposed tolock the lever 37 in position when the beams are lowered. Lever 37 isprovided with a downwardly eX- tending arm 43 which is connected by arod or link 44 to an arm 45 which is secured to A cultivator-beam 24 ithe cross-shaft 22 so that when lever 37 is shifted, arm 45 and shaft 22will be rocked to operate the connections for raising and lowering thebeams. The lifting connection for the beam at the right hand sidecomprises a rod or bar 46 which has its front end pivotally connected tothe lower end of arm 45 and its rear end connected to arm 35, by meansof an extension or arm 35EL extending forwardly and downwardly from arm35, which has a guide opening 47 through its lower end in which the rearend of rod 46 is slidably held and an abutment 48, such as a pin on saidrod, which is adapted to engage the extension 35a and to shift itbackwardly to rock arm 35. This device provides a lost-motion connectionbetween rod 46 and arm 35, which permits the beam to be depressed by theoperator independently of the rod 46 or the lever for raising the beams.Rod 46 is provided with an abutment consisting of a pin 49, in the rearof arm 35a, which prevents the rod from being withdrawn from said arm.At the left hand side of the cultivator, an arm 45 is secured tocross-shaft 22, so that it will be operated with arm 45 to which theshifting-lever 37 is connected, and this arm 45 is operatively connectedto arm 35 for the left hand beam in the same manner as arm 45 isconnected to the other arm 35. Resultantly, shiftinglever 37 serves bymeans of rod 44, arm 45 and shaft 22 to operate the lifting-connectionsfor both beams. Lever 37 also serves to shift the arch-axles to swingthem forwardly as the beams are lowered, and to swing the arch-axlesrearwardly as the beams are raised, to properly balance the cultivator.For this purpose a link 50 is pivotally connected to the lower portionof the arch-axle at the right hand side, as at 51, and to arm 45 onshaft 22, and arm 45 at the other side is likewise connected to thecarrying-wheel at the left hand side. Vhen shifting-lever 37 is operatedto raise or lower the shovels, said connections will simultaneouslyadjust the carrying-wheels to keep the frame properly balanced.

In practice, it is frequently necessary for the operator to depress theshovel-beams in order to effect proper cultivation, particularly inuneven ground. To permit either beam to be depressed by the foot of theoperator without the necessity of operating the beam-shifting lever, aspring-connection is applied to each of the arms 35, which may alsoserve as a counterbalance or aid in lifting the beams and shovels. Thesespringconnections yieldingly hold the shovels in position to travel atthe desired normal depth, and also permit them to be depressed by theoperator and restore them to normal working depth when the foot pressureof the operator is released. Each spring-connection comprises a spring52 having its front end adjustably connected by means of a screw-hook 53and nut 54: to a bracket 55 on the frame, and its rear end pivotallyconnected by a pin 56 to an arm 35. At times it is desired to vary thetension of these connections and to effect this variation of the tensionof the springs while the shovels are working in the ground. Aspring-shifter 57 is pivoted as at 58, to extension 35 and its oppositeend is forked, as at 59 to engage spring 52 to deflect the spring toincrease its tension more or less according to the position in which theshifter is set. The shifter is cont-rolled by a hand-lever 60, which ispivotally connected as at (31 to the shifter and is provided withrock-teeth G2 adapted to engage an eye or loop 63 on arm By releasingthe lever GO from eye 63, it may be adjusted to operate shifter' 57 inthe position to distend spring 52 in greater or less degree, tocorrespondingly vary the tension of the spring upon the arm 35, the beamand shovels connected thereto. For example, if it is found in operatingthe cultivator that greater tension is desired, lever GO may be adjustedbackwardly through the guide G3, which will swing the shifter 57backwardly and cause the fork 59 to distend the spring in greaterdegree. This adjustment may be readily effected when the machine is inoperation, so that the operator can, Whenever necessary, adjust thetension of the springconnection to cause the beams to work as desired,according to the conditions of the soil being cultivated or the depth ofcultivation desired. rlfhe construction of this adjusting-device is suchthat the spring-connection will not exert excessive tension, when theshovels are out of the ground and greatest tension will be exerted whenthe shovels are in the soil.

Then the beams are raised, as illustrated in Fig. 2, they will be heldby abutments t8 on rods 4G which engage extensions 35a on arms 35, lever37 being locked to rack 40, so its connections to rods et?) will also belocked. The arch-axles will be in rearward position relatively to theframe to balance the structure, and will be held by means of links 50,arms 45, 45 and rock-shaft 2Q which will be held by rod elet and lever37. To lower the beams, lever 37 will be unlocked from. rack 4() andshifted rearwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 4. Such shift ofthe lever will operate rod 4A forwardly to correspondingly shift arm 45and rod 4G connected thereto and by means of rock-shaft 29. will operatearm 45 and the rod 4G at the left hand side which lifts the connectionfor the left hand beam. Such shift` will cause abutments 48 to moveforwardly and to release arms 35 so the beams will be free to permit theshovels to pass into working Vposition in the soil as shown on Fig. 4f.When lever 37 is locked iin the rear position and the shovels are atnormal working depth in the soil, abutments 48 will be disposed out ofengagement with or forwardly of, extensions 35a, so that arms 35 will befree to permit further depression of the shovels by the operatorindependently of, or without unlocking, lever 37. When lever 237 isshifted to release the beams, the connections which control the spindlesof the arch-axles will be operated to swing the arch-axles forward y, sothat the frame will be properly balanced when the shovels are at work inthe soil. ll hen arms are swung backwardly as the beams are lowered, andthe shovels pass into the ground, spring- Shifters 57 and hand-leversGO, which are locked to said arms, will move with the arms and cause theforked ends of the shifters to engage springs to deflect thespring-connections. By adjustment of hand-levers GO, which may bereadily done while the machine is being operated, the extent ofdefiection may be varied at the will of the operator, so that when thebeams are depressed by the treadles 3l, which is frequently necessary incultivation, the springconnections will restore the shovels to normal ordesired working depth. By adjusting hand-lever GO forwardly, the shiftermay be adjusted so it will not deflect its spring-connection at all, andby rearward adjustment, the shifter may be set to to deliect theconnection to increase its tension on the beams as much as desired. As aresult, the beams are left free to respond to the will of the operatorwhen the shovels are in the ground and the tension of thespring-connections may be readily varied independently of each other andwithout stopping the operation of the cultivator. To raise` the shovelsout of the ground, lever 37 will be shifted forwardly, to operate rodila, arms 45, 45 and rods 46 backwardly, so that abutmcnts 4S willengage extensions 35a and swing arms 35 to lift the beams, and willoperate the connect-ion for the wheelspindles.

The invention thus provides a pendulumbeam cultivator with means forregulating the tension of the spring-connections for the shovels, whilethe latter are at work in the soil. The lifting mechanism, is operatedby a lever which is disposed withinconvenient reach of the operator andhas a lostmotion connection with the lifting-connections to permit thebeams to be depressed independently of the lever, and this lever alsooperates the wheel-spindles to balance the structure when the beams arein raised or lowered positions. rIhe connections bctween thelifting-lever and thc pendulumarms are simple in construction.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details shownand described, since these may be modified within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator beam, beam shifting mechanism comprising a pendulum and anarm having an extension thereon, a spring-connection for the beam, andadjusting means for said connection comprising a shifter pivoted tosaid' eXtension, and a lever connected to said shifter.

2. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator beam, beam shifting mechanism comprising a pendulum and anarm having an extension thereon, a spring-connection for the beam, andadjusting means for said connection comprising a shifter pivoted to saidentension, a hand lever connected to said shifter and a lock for saidlever.

3. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beam-shifting mechanism comprising` an arm, a pendulum,a beam-operating lever and a lost-motion connection between the leverand the arm, a spring-connection for the beam which permits the beam tobe shifted independently of said lever, and means for adjusting thespring-connection comprising a hand-lever.

et. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beam-shifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulum,a beam-operating lever and a lost-motion connection between the leverand the arm, a lock for said lever, a spring-connection for the beamwhich permits the beam to be shifted independently of said lever, andmeans for adjusting the spring-connection comprising a hand-lever.

5. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beam-shifting mechanism comprising' an arm, a pendulum,a lever and a lost-motion connection between the lever and the arm, alock for said lever, a spring-connection for the beam which permits thebeam to be shifted independently of said lever, and means for adjustingthe spring-connection comprising a hand-lever, and a rack for holdingsaid hand-lever.

6. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-Wheels, acultivator-beam, beam-shifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulumand a beam-operating lever, a spring-connection for the beam, means foradjusting said connection comprising a shifter for deflecting theconnection, and means for adjusting said shifter to vary the deiiectionof the connection.

7. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam,

beamshifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulum and a lever, aspring-connection for the beam, and means for adjusting said connectioncomprising a shifter for deflecting the connection, a hand-lever foradjusting said shifter and a rack for holding said hand-lever.

8. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beamshifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulumand a lever, a spring-connection for the beam and a shifter adjustablymounted on said arm, and for deflecting the spring-connection to varythe tension of the connection.

9. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beam shifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulumand a lever, a spring-connection for the beam, a shifter pivotallymounted on said arm, and for deflect-ing the spring-connection to varythe tension of the connection, and a hand-lever for adjusting saidshifter.

l0. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, beam -shifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulumand a lever, a spring-connection for the beam, a shifter pivotallymounted on said arm, and for deflecting the spring-connection to varythe tension of the connection, a hand-lever for adjusting said shifterand a rack for the hand-lever.

ll. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carryingwheels, acultivatorbeam, beam shifting mechanism comprising an arm, a pendulum,and a lever and a lost-motion connection between the lever and the arm,a spring-connection for the beam which permits the beam to bev shiftedindependently of said lever, and means for adjusting thespring-connection comprising a hand-lever, and a shifter pivoted to anextension on said arm.

l2. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying wheels, acultivator beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, and a connection between t-he arm and the lever comprising a rodoperated by the lever and for shifting the arm, the rod having'aslidable connection which permit-s the arm to be shifted independentlyof the lever.

13. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivatorbeam, an arm,` a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a lock for said lever, and a connection between the arm and thelever comprising a rod operated by the lever and for shifting the arm,the rod having a slidable connection which permits the arm to be shiftedindependently of the lever.

14. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carryingwheels, acultivatorbeam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a lock for said lever, a spring-connection between the arm andthe frame, and a connection betweenthe arm and the lever comprising arod operated by the lever and for shifting the arm, the rod having'slidable connection which permits the arm to be shifted independently ofthe lever.

l5. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying -wheels, acultivator -beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a front arm operated by said lever, and a rod between said arms,and having a pivotal connection to one of said arms and slidablyconnected to the other, to permitthe pendulum-arm to be shiftedindependently of the lever.

16. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carryingwheels, acultivator beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a spring-connection for said arm, a front arm operated by saidlever, and a rod between said arms, and having a pivotal connection toone of said arms and slidably connected to the other, to permit thependulum-arm to be shifted independently of the lever.

17. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carryingwheels, acultivator -beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a lool; for said lever, and a connection between the arm and thelever comprising a rod operated by the lever and for shifting the arm,the rod having a slidable connection which permits the arm to be shiftedindependently of the lever.

I8. In a cultivator, the combination of frame, carrying wheels, acultivator beam, an arm, a pendulum between t-he arm and the beam, alever, and a connection between the arm and the lever, comprising a rodslidably connected to saidA arm.

19. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carryingwheels, acultivator beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, a spring-connection for said arm, and a connection between thearm and the lever, comprising a rod slidably connected to said arm.

20. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying -wheels, acultivator beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, and a connection between said arm and the lever comprising aguide on said arm, a rod slidably mounted on said guide and an abutmenton the rod for shifting said arm, the rod being connected to the lever.

2l. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, and a connect-ion between said arm and the lever comprising aguide on said arm, a rod slidably mounted on said guide, and abutmentson the rod for shifting the'arni, the rod being connected to the lever.

22. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, abeam-operating lever, and a connection between the arm and the lever,comprising a rod pivoted to the lever and extending forwardly therefrom,an arm to which said rod is pivoted, and a rearwardly extending rodoperated by said latter arm and operatively connected at its rear to thependulum-arm.

23. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, and a connection between the arm and the lever, coinprising a rodpivoted to the lever and extending forwardly therefrom, an arm to whichsaid rod is pivoted, and a rearwardly extending rod opel'- ated by saidlatter arm, and being slidably connected to one of said arms and pivotedto the other.

24. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels, acultivator-beam, an arm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, alever, and a connection between the arm and the lever, comprising a rodpivoted to the lever and extending forwardly therefrom, an arm to whichsaid rod is pivoted, and a rearwardly extending rod operated by saidlatter arm, and being slidably connected to the pendulum-arm andoperatively connected to the other arm.

25. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adjustably connected to the f nine, a cultivatorbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever, anarm in front of said lever, a rod between said lever and the arm infront thereof, spindle-adjusting connections operated by said front-arm,and a pendulum-arm shifting-rod operated by the front arm.

26. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adjustably connected to the frame, a cultiva-torbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever, anarm in front of said lever, a cross-shaft on which said latter erm ismounted, a rod between said lever and the arm in front thereof,spindle-adjusting connect-ions operated by said front-arm, and apendulum-arm shifting-rod operated by the front-arm.

27. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adjustably connected to the frame, a cultivatorbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever, anarm in front of said lever, a rod between said lever and the arm infront thereof, spindle-adjusting connections operated by said front-arm,and a pendulum-arm shift-- ing-rod pivoted to one of said arms andslidably connected to the other.

28. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adjustably connected to the frame, a cultivatorbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever, anarm in front of said lever, a rod between said lever and the arm infront thereof, spindle-adjusting connections operated by said front-arm,and a pendulum-arm shifting-rod pivoted to the front-arm and slidablyconnected to the pendulum-arm.

29. lIn a eultivator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adjustably connected to the frame, a cultivatorbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever,spinolle-adjusting connections operated by said lever, aspring-connection for the arm, a hand-lever for adjusting thespring-connection, and a connection between the beamoperatng lever andsaid arm.

30. In a cultvator, the combination of a frame, carrying-wheels,wheel-spindles adj ustably connected to the frame, a cultivatorbeam, anarm, a pendulum between the arm and the beam, a beam-operating lever, anarm in front of said lever, a rod between the lever and the front-arm,spindle-adjusting connections operated by said front arm, aspring-connection for said arm, a handlever for adjusting saidspring-connection, and a rod operated by the front-arm, for shifting thependulum-arm.

FRANK E. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

C. WV. DIoKINsoN, N. Gr. JONES.

